Constipation

raymax4

Since I have increased my protein intake I have been having problems with constipation. (A problem I have never had before).
I have been eating plenty of fiber and drinking a lot of water. I stop tracking water intake after 9 glasses.
Am I doing something wrong?
If you look into my food diary 9/16 was not a typical day. Please move past that

Ironmaiden4life

Common problem with increased protein.

Make sure you're getting adequate water, it takes more water for the body to metabolize protein than the other macros. Also make sure you're getting enough sodium which most of us do simply by the nature of our diets. You could try added a probiotic and if you are still having problems a digestive enzyme can help. Peoples knee jerk reaction is to automatically up fiber intake,but for some people that just compounds the problem. Obviously make sure you are hitting the minimum fiber requirements.
The good news is your body will eventually adapt.

Need2Exerc1se

Are you also getting enough fat? Low fat can cause constipation. Also, if you are using whey protein to increase your fiber that could be the problem.

RadiantChange

There is a wonderful thing that is also a protein called kefir...Get it whole, pure and raw. A good product is called, Grace Harbor Kefir plain. It is an amazing probiotic. Also eating more probiotic foods such as olive, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, or drinking a good kombucha tea. If you're not doing dairy, use goats Kefir. Drink a cup a day with some blueberries or apple. Eating foods that are rich in probiotic elements keeps the old pipes a moving. All the best to you!

TinyTexn59

I agree on the kefir, kombucha and probiotic foods. It is easy to buy, but tastes best homemade. Again, homemade is better than store bought. When you get to probiotic foods, you have to stress homemade as well, since processed products have been pastureized and lose their probiotic effect. It is more work to produce these things but the benefits are wonderful.

TeaBea

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Are you also getting enough fat? Low fat can cause constipation. Also, if you are using whey protein to increase your fiber that could be the problem.

This^

Fiber, fat & activity....and hydration.

There are two types of fiber: soluble & insoluble. Make sure you are getting both as they serve separate functions.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/insoluble-soluble-fiber

rosebette

This is a problem I've been plagued with, especially if my daily intake is closer to 1200. I checked your diary and noticed that you're not tracking your fiber macros. I would recommend you switch your settings to track it for a bit. I had assumed I was getting tons of fiber because I ate a lot of lettuce and salads, but a serving of lettuce and most greens is only around 2 grams. The average person needs between 21 and 35 grams of fiber a day. When I notice my fiber is low, I take 2 FiberWell gummies and put chia seeds in my yogurt or oatmeal, and that helps. Also, adding dietary fat, particularly animal fat, like bacon, seems to help.

RodaRose

Oil, water.
Perhaps magnesium oxide.

Kalikel

I was just talking to someone the other day who said when she ate the Quest bars, she had trouble moving her bowels. So many MFP people eat those things and I've never seen one complain about digestive issues.

But I'm curious. Do you eat protein bars?

tephanies1234

I just started eating quest bars and actually they got things moving again lol

raymax4

Ironmaiden4life wrote: »

Common problem with increased protein.

Make sure you're getting adequate water, it takes more water for the body to metabolize protein than the other macros. Also make sure you're getting enough sodium which most of us do simply by the nature of our diets. You could try added a probiotic and if you are still having problems a digestive enzyme can help. Peoples knee jerk reaction is to automatically up fiber intake,but for some people that just compounds the problem. Obviously make sure you are hitting the minimum fiber requirements.
The good news is your body will eventually adapt.

I eat a lot of Greek yogurt.

raymax4

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Are you also getting enough fat? Low fat can cause constipation. Also, if you are using whey protein to increase your fiber that could be the problem.

The amount of fat in my diet vetoes a lot I'll look into it thanks

raymax4

RadiantChange wrote: »

There is a wonderful thing that is also a protein called kefir...Get it whole, pure and raw. A good product is called, Grace Harbor Kefir plain. It is an amazing probiotic. Also eating more probiotic foods such as olive, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, or drinking a good kombucha tea. If you're not doing dairy, use goats Kefir. Drink a cup a day with some blueberries or apple. Eating foods that are rich in probiotic elements keeps the old pipes a moving. All the best to you!

Just looked kefir up intresting

_benjammin

raymax4 wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Are you also getting enough fat? Low fat can cause constipation. Also, if you are using whey protein to increase your fiber that could be the problem.

The amount of fat in my diet vetoes a lot I'll look into it thanks

Too low fat would be my guess too. I would consider trying 0.4grams fat per pound of body weight as a minimum for a few weeks.

raymax4

rosebette wrote: »

This is a problem I've been plagued with, especially if my daily intake is closer to 1200. I checked your diary and noticed that you're not tracking your fiber macros. I would recommend you switch your settings to track it for a bit. I had assumed I was getting tons of fiber because I ate a lot of lettuce and salads, but a serving of lettuce and most greens is only around 2 grams. The average person needs between 21 and 35 grams of fiber a day. When I notice my fiber is low, I take 2 FiberWell gummies and put chia seeds in my yogurt or oatmeal, and that helps. Also, adding dietary fat, particularly animal fat, like bacon, seems to help.

I am keeping track of fiber I range from 21 to 45 grams the highest out lite is 67 the lowest was 19 g once

raymax4

RodaRose wrote: »

Oil, water.
Perhaps magnesium oxide.

Didn't know about laxative effects of mg oxide

raymax4

Kalikel wrote: »

I was just talking to someone the other day who said when she ate the Quest bars, she had trouble moving her bowels. So many MFP people eat those things and I've never seen one complain about digestive issues.

But I'm curious. Do you eat protein bars?

I will occasionally have a protein shake when I need to ad protein and have no more Pantene for more food. Maybe 1 to 2 a week I use to like the cliff chocolate mint bars. I'm not sure why I haven't had one for awile

raymax4

Thank you all for your posts

nvmomketo

Nuts and coconut oil are, by far, the most effective food-laxatives I've ever eaten.

arditarose

When I have that problem I have a tablespoon of oil, a black coffee, abdomen massage...and good to go.

yarwell

Trampoline. Seriously.

lingo10

Up fiber and take a digestive enzyme maybe

SamandaIndia

yarwell wrote: »

Trampoline. Seriously.

LAUGHING A LOT. LETS HOPE NOT TOO EFFECTIVE!

kbmnurse

Drink some warm prune juice move on. Horrible topic.

Strawblackcat

Traditional Medicinals makes a tea called Smooth Move. It's basically a senna tea that has ginger, dandelion root, licorice root, and a couple of other herbs that aid in digestion. Steep it for ten minutes in a cup of hot water and drink. It doesn't taste bad since the licorice gives it a natural hint of sweetness. I usually get relief in about 10-12 hours. It sometimes makes me a little gassy and the movement a little loose, but it's much more gentle than a OTC laxative. It works for me every time.

If you can find senna herb by itself, you could make a tea if that and it would do basically the same thing.

Magnesium in high enough concentrations can relieve constipation as well, but I can't remember which form of magnesium off of the top of my head. I think that it's either citrate or malate.

kshama2001

Kalikel wrote: »

I was just talking to someone the other day who said when she ate the Quest bars, she had trouble moving her bowels. So many MFP people eat those things and I've never seen one complain about digestive issues.

But I'm curious. Do you eat protein bars?

I had a Quest S'Mores bar the other day and it was incredibly nasty artifically tasting. It had no discernible affect on my digestive system but my taste buds are still traumatized.

JanineAytekin

I had that problem too. Squats truly help and yoga. Also making sure you eat enough fat.

theutahdesertfox

arditarose wrote: »

When I have that problem I have a tablespoon of oil, a black coffee, abdomen massage...and good to go.

dude, that sounds like something Id only want to try while in VERY close vicinity to a toilet...haha!

WindSparrow

When I have gone low carb, even with taking in lots of roughage by eating a lot of vegetables, I often get very constipated. No place that I have asked has ever given me a satisfying explanation of what is actually happening with my body. But I do know that bumping up refined carb intake by a couple servings per day makes a big difference for me. Perhaps your system is similar.

psuLemon

kshama2001 wrote: »

Kalikel wrote: »

I was just talking to someone the other day who said when she ate the Quest bars, she had trouble moving her bowels. So many MFP people eat those things and I've never seen one complain about digestive issues.

But I'm curious. Do you eat protein bars?

I had a Quest S'Mores bar the other day and it was incredibly nasty artifically tasting. It had no discernible affect on my digestive system but my taste buds are still traumatized.

Did you heat it up? Makes a huge difference.

TrickyDisco

Eat a few dried prunes each day.